, 1887-09-29
IN WIND AND WEATHER..
The Parade Takes Place in a
Drenching Rain,
And Great Cheering Greets the
Veterans.
Mrs, Colton's Charge Against
c. P. Huntington.
Bad Weather for the Veterans.

odQ eaLner LOT Une NeCerdnS.
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 28.-Greater volumes
of rain poured down this morning on the
veterans of the G.. A. r. than any day
since their arrival. Everything was
drenched, including the ardor of the
soldiers and civilians as well. Thousands
OF veterans, after waiting a long time in
the wet and mud to realize the promises
of the signal service officer, started for
home, yet there were untold thousands
left, and Grand Marshal Grier issued an
order to prepare for the parade, which
would move at 10 o'clock without fail.
When the order to fall in for parade was
received at the various camps and head
quarters the men tumbled out OF tent and
room. prepared tor a battle with the ele-
ments with rubber coats and umbrellas,
and rousers rolled up. 1t was IL O'Clock
when the column was formed and Grand
Marshal Grier ordered the escort of
mounted police forward. Then followed
the grand marshal with his chief-of staff,
Gen. a. G. Smith and aides, Logan post
of st. Louis, mounted, and the Spring
field, Mass, battalion, special escorts to
the commandments, who followed a
few yards behind, bowling to the crowds
who greeted him with applause. His staff
OF 100 men, mounted, preceded twenty
carriages, moving three abreast, in which
were governors aud other hUnored guests.
In the lead was one occupied by Mayor
Francis and w. L. Sherman. Although
closely sheltered from the rain the crowds
on the sidewalks soon found where the
old commander was, and cheer upon
cheer marked his progress, while frequent
groups of men would rush from shelter
to the carriage door to grasp his hand.
Then followed the divisions of the
Grand Army, ten in all. Here and there
a post armed with muskets or a drum
corps broke the monotony of the line. As
the column passed under the beautiful
stained glass transparency of Gen. Grant
at Fourth street, between Locust and st.
Charles streets, all the men uncovered
their heads and passed by in silence.
The head of the procession reached the
Grand Army arch that spans Olive street
at Twelfth, at noon, and Commander in
Chief Fairchild, Gen. Sherman, Vice Pres
iden Hannibal Hamlin, wal governors
and other distinguished guests, left their
carriages and took their positions in the
grand stand Just east of the arch. Across
the street and facing the grand stand
Grand Marshal Grier and staff sat in
their saddles, while the rain increased in
volume, and for an hour and a half
poured down on the heads of the passing
soldiers. The Missouri contingent was
twenty five minutes in passing, the Hi
nois was fteeen minutes, and the Kansas
twelve minutes. Other states were repre-
sented by posts and regiments. Along
the line of march we're thousands of boys
in blue who thought it too wet to march.
In the balcony Of the grand stand Com
mander-in-Chief Fairchild and Gen. Sher-
man, partly protected from the storm,
bowed to the boys as they passed, ac-
knowledRing continually the rousing
cheers that went up from each post as
they filed by in company front. Here
and there throughout the different divis
ions marched a colored post, and their
salute was invariably a signal for applause
from those in the grand stand, which sew
eral times was taken up by the crowd and
prolonged into hearty cheers.
The dripping flags received much bois-
ferrous notice and as a squad carrying the
tattered remnants of the battle flags
passed by the enthusiasm became I'M
bounded. Throughout the column an
occasional warrior carried a cane or pole
on which was dangling a chicken, a leg OF
mutton, a side OF bacon, a cabbage or
some other representative Of a foraging
expedition or commissary stores.
As the right of the line reached its des-
t~ination the troops broke ranks and has
tened back to the reviewing stand to get a
glimpse of the commander. They came
with a rush that threatened destruction to
the rest of the column, but the mounted
staff of the Illinois division soon forced a
way through the crowd and cleared a
passage. At 1870 o'clock the Sons OF
Veterans brought up the rear. When
they had passed the stand the ranks were
broken and the parade was over. The
crowd her made a rush for the grand
stand to see and shake hands with Uncle
Billy" The general refused to respond
to the numerous calls for a speech and
finding an opportunity slipped into a car
rage and was driven away.
The encampment opened in due form
in the entertainment hall of the exposi.
ton building at 3 p. m. COMMANDMENT
Chief Gen. Fairchlld presided. The fol
lowing committee on credentials was ap
Dointed:H Adit. Gen. Gray, Thomas G.
Stewart, of Pennsylvania; John Thatcher,
| Connecticut; James E. Stewart, Ohio,
and E. Henry jerks, Rhode Island. The
annual address of the commander in
chief, which is very long, was then pre-